Ron Bonham stands in front of Prairie Creek Reservoir on June 22, 2012. Bonham will be honored at the June 30 ceremony at the reservoir.

Written by

On one of the hottest days of the year so far, Ron Bonham was doing something familiar from his 38 years as superintendent of the city park at Prairie Creek Reservoir: mowing.

"We have about 80 acres out here, all in wildlife habitat, and I keep lanes mowed through it," Bonham said Tuesday about the property he and his wife, J.J., own. "I mowed four hours straight in that doggone heat. It's hotter than a son of a gun."

At 70, Bonham still projects a down-home image, even though he is years removed from his glory days as a star on Central High School's basketball team, his tenure with the Boston Celtics ...